


when i looked over my shoulder

by directorscut



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, hyunjin and changbin are flatmates, hyunjin just wants his cream cheese bagel, it has a happy ending i promise, jeongin curses once, past angst, shy barista jeongin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-16
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-04-01 02:36:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13988691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/directorscut/pseuds/directorscut
Summary: “Earth to Hyunjin Spacecraft, do you copy?” A timid voice startles Hyunjin.Jeongin.“Hyunjin to Home, copy.”Jeongin settles the mug and the yellow plate harboring a golden cream cheese bagel on the table and slides into the seat in front of Hyunjin.“You remembered.” Jeongin flushes a shade of red.alt.childhood friends reconnecting over hyunjin's cream cheese bagel.





	1. bagel who?

**Author's Note:**

> hi! i became soft for jeongin and his braces. the cutest baby. 
> 
> also, hyunjin's 20 in this.

 

Routine. Hyunjin _always_ sticks to his regimented routine.

 

“Wake up on time? Check.” He makes a mental note after managing to wake up 10 minutes before his alarm goes off, no thanks to the killer headache he has.

 

The sound of _Hellevator_ blasting from his phone almost makes him slip in the shower 5 minutes later.

 

Staring at his face in the mirror post-shower, he frowns noticing the circles underneath his eyes, and tries his best to look somewhat presentable. Hyunjin decides that the navy-blue sweater Changbin spilled his strawberry milkshake on last week didn’t smell _too_ bad, shrugs, and puts on a black cap to hide the tragedy that is his hair.

 

“… Look presentable- huh. Check.”

 

Hyunjin knows he’s a morning person, contrary to popular belief. Contrary to his _roommate’s_ belief. Today was just not one of those mornings.

 

Someone clearly woke up on the wrong side of the bed- and for the first time since he started college, it wasn’t Changbin. Hyunjin wasn’t really paying any mind to the thumping in his skull, and brushed it off as a result of studying overnight again. Only when his older roommate enters the kitchen and comments on how he looked like an extra in The Walking Dead, does he find it hard to ignore the way his entire body aches.

 

Hyunjin sends Changbin the scariest glare he can possibly work up and thinks, that’s _gotta_ qualify him as deadly as a creature from the TV show. The older, seemingly unaffected by this, grabs one of Hyunjin’s buttered toast. Changbin ruffles his hair teasingly, and leaves their apartment in a haste for his 9 a.m. Music History lecture.

 

“Don’t forget to take some painkillers for your headache, loser.” He tuts before the front door slams shut.

 

Hyunjin stares at the bottle of pills that has somehow materialized in front of him, (Clearly placed there by his guardian angel disguised as an annoying roommate.) and pops a pill in his mouth.

 

“Restrain self from decking Changbin in the neck, check.”

 

-

 

Hyunjin drags his dirty sneakers along the streets, occasionally coughing up a lung on the inside of his sleeve. The concerned glances practically every passerby is sending his way goes unnoticed.

 

Mondays were nice, he didn’t have classes on Mondays.

 

He nudges the chiming door open with a leg, and is instantly attacked by the smell of coffee and pastry.

 

“Welcome to Stray Kids Coffee!” Someone singsongs from behind the cash register.

 

Hyunjin looks around and notices the small number of people dispersed around the quaint café.

Odd, but _whatever_. More bagels for him.

 

Hyunjin immediately notices the fresh batch of cream cheese bagels on display and makes a beeline towards the counter.

 

He smiles and thinks to himself again.

 

“Bagels on Monday, che-”

 

“Achoo!” His loud sneeze cuts his train of thought off, sending his cap flying.

 

The first thing he notices after the _volcanic mountains_ ~~that is his nose~~ erupted, is the outstretched hand holding a tissue out in his general direction.

 

The second thing he notices is the owner of said appendage. It’s not the lady who takes his order every morning, the middle-aged barista who’s probably memorized his usual order by heart now.

 

This, _isn’t_ part of his routine.

 

He’s setting foot on a whole new terrain.

 

The boy behind the counter is smiling at him- albeit warily. The braces lining the boy’s teeth is not what sets his world spinning off kilter, no. It’s the warmth and the familiarity the smile.

 

“Jeonginnie?” Hyunjin breathes out hesitantly as he picks his cap up from the floor.

 

The outstretched hand falters and like a switch being flicked on, the boy gasps.

 

“Wha _-_ Hyunjin?”

 

“What on _earth_ are you doing here?” Hyunjin wheezes for what is probably the seventh time this morning before breaking into a cough again.

 

Another barista standing behind the counter sends him a dirty look before proceeding to place the bagels sitting right underneath Hyunjin’s nose somewhere else. Preferably away from the germs he was spreading. Hyunjin can only sigh.

 

Jeongin clears his throat and thrusts the tissue he was previously holding into Hyunjin’s hand.

 

“Uh, I’m working here part-time. It’s my first day,” He supplies awkwardly.

 

Hyunjin blames his perceptive brain but is Jeongin actually, quite possibly, _blushing_?

 

“No, I meant-”

 

The disapproving “Tsk.” Hyunjin hears from behind cuts him off, once again.

 

“ _Excuse me_ , some people have places to be. If you could adjourn this… _Love-fest_ to another time, it would be greatly appreciated." The lady with hair sticking wildly out of her ponytail scoffs.

 

Hyunjin’s just had about enough of people telling _him_ what he should and should not do and is about to give her a literal piece of his throbbing mind when Jeongin speaks out.

 

“Right. I’m really sorry to keep you waiting ma’am. What would you like to order, sir?”

 

Hyunjin blinks.

 

_Sir?_

 

“Hyunjin, please.”

 

The middle-aged barista, Sooyoung, materializes like a fairy godmother besides a shaking Jeongin and punches in Hyunjin’s usual order onto the screen.

 

“Do have a seat honey, we’ll send your order out soon.”

 

The lady from before all but shoves Hyunjin out of the line.

 

Hyunjin grabs the seat closest to the windows with a heaviness in his heart he can’t quite put his finger on. He never meant for Jeongin to get into trouble.

 

 On his first day too, _fuck_.

 

-

 

“Hyunjinnn,” The 7-year-old can vaguely make out a voice shouting his name out downstairs but is too preoccupied watering the tiny potted plants by his window to pay any attention to it. The door bursts open and he’s immediately tackled to the ground from behind.

 

“I called you a lot of times!” The younger boy pouts, still latching himself onto a groaning Hyunjin.

 

“Jeongin! Did you have to do that? You’re lucky I didn’t break my glasses. _Again_. My mum would get so angry,” Words not quite matching his exasperated tone.

 

The face Jeongin makes is so dejected it breaks Hyunjin’s heart a little.

 

“Hey, do you wanna help me water Charmander, Eevee and Squirtle, Jeonginnie?” He grins and pokes the boy’s side.

 

Jeongin’s face lights up brighter than a Christmas tree as he jumps to his feet immediately.

 

“Yes, please!” He says eagerly, making grabby hands towards the watering can in Hyunjin’s grasp.

 

Hyunjin ruffles his hair and leads him over to his table where the plants seemed to be equally as excited as Jeongin.

 

-

 

“Earth to Hyunjin Spacecraft, do you copy?” A timid voice startles Hyunjin.

 

_Jeongin._

 

“Hyunjin to Home, copy.” He finishes, staring dazedly at the barista.

 

Jeongin settles the mug and the yellow plate harboring a golden cream cheese bagel on the table and slides into the seat in front of Hyunjin.

 

“You remembered.” Jeongin flushes a shade of red. 

 

Hyunjin suddenly remembers the trouble he got his old friend into.

 

“Wait your shift isn’t ove-”

 

“Oh, don’t worry. Sooyoung says I have can have a few minutes off,” He says gratefully.

 

Hyunjin nods and is suddenly aware of the sound of a tummy rumbling, furrowing his eyebrows because he _did_ have toast before he came did he not? So why was his-

 

He lifts his head to see Jeongin squirming.

 

“Sorry I forgot to have my breakfast, shit this is so embarrassing,” The younger boy laughs nervously before scrambling out of his seat.

 

Only to be stopped by a warm hand around his wrist.

 

“Hey, wait it’s alright. Here, you can have my bagel,”

 

Some sentences just sound better in your head.

 

The guilty look on the barista’s face only pushes Hyunjin to drag Jeongin back into the seat in front of him. Jeongin slouches and stares at the bagel. The bagel of Hyunjin’s dreams.

 

He shakes his head upon noticing the obvious hesitance on Jeongin’s face and makes a move to break the bagel into smaller portions, before holding a piece up to feed the boy.

 

“Okay open up,” He insists.

 

“Wha- yewdeednthavtoo,” Jeongin’s objection muffled by the sweet taste of heaven on his taste buds.

 

Hyunjin leans back and coughs into his tissue, momentarily remembering the headache he has. The silence between them as Jeongin munches on his bagel isn’t suffocating, Hyunjin rather likes it. It feels _familiar_.

 

“When you said my name I- no one calls me… Jeonginnie anymore,” He laughs.

 

“What? For real? That’s practically the name your mum gave you,” Hyunjin deadpans.

 

It definitely wasn’t part of his routine. He wasn’t used to feeding other people his food (Well, apart from Changbin begging to be fed ramen occasionally.) and small talk.

 

Then again, Jeongin wasn’t just _anyone_. Which brings him to his senses.

 

“What are you doing here?” Hyunjin blurts out before his mouth can catch up with his brain.

 

This time it’s Jeongin who coughs, not exactly choking on the bagel, but somewhere along the lines.

 

-

 

The first time Hyunjin realizes something was going wrong and out of routine, is when he hears his parents talking in hushed whispers in the kitchen as he’s skipping there to grab a bagel.

 

“It’s going to hurt him,” Hyunjin notices his mother with her head in her hands.

 

“There’s nothing we can do about it, the Yangs made up their minds.” His father replies softly, rubbing her back.

 

Hyunjin had been 9 then, and terribly confused.

 

He sneaks his way out through the front door to find Jeongin carrying a box of comics into his father’s Jeep.

 

“Jeonginnie!” He shouts.

 

The second time Hyunjin realizes that indeed, things were terribly wrong is when Jeongin turns around to face him with tear streaked cheeks.

 

“Hyunjin!” He hears his mother call out.

 

He marches across the street and grabs the box away from Jeongin’s hold.

 

“Stop, you’re getting your comics wet!” He says, unable to fight tears of his own back.

 

At this point time seemed to a slow to a halt.

 

“Hyunjin-”

 

“No, _Jeongin_ even Magneto is wet now! I-It’s alright we can dry them back at my place, let’s go now,” He sniffles and grabs Jeongin’s arm with his free hand. Jeongin doesn’t budge. Not one inch.

 

“I’m staying with my dad from now on,” At that, Hyunjin stops. The look he sends to Jeongin is one of bewilderment. He didn’t understand. Jeongin’s father lived right _there._

 

“Jeongin let’s go,” The man stealing his friend away from him takes the box of comics away and pulls Jeongin by the arm rather hurriedly. Hyunjin feels a pair of hands holding him back and realizes it’s just his mother and his father patting his back soothingly.

 

Jeongin waves, tears flowing continuously down his face.

 

“E-Earth to Hyunjin Spacecraft, do you c-copy?” He cries as his father fastens the seatbelt on him.

 

Time definitely didn’t stop for any of them now.

 

Only when all that’s visible are tire marks on the asphalt does Hyunjin break.

 

“Hyunjin to Home, copy.”

 

-

 

Hyunjin leaves the café two hours later with a coughing fit after Jeongin promises (Pinky-promises, mind you. Germs be damned.) to see him again after Hyunjin recovers. With the latter’s previous question still unanswered, Jeongin sends Hyunjin out and waits by the pavement until the boy disappears around the block. He heads back inside with a smile dancing on his lips.

 

  -

 

Hyunjin can’t help but scroll through his contact list once he arrives in front of his apartment door. He has no idea what Jeongin saved his number as.

 

 

_Jeonginnie._

_Cute,_ he thinks _._

“Are you planning on smiling at your phone like a lovesick puppy all day?” A pair of hands squish his cheeks together. Hyunjin looks up to see Changbin furrowing his brows.

 

“Wait, scratch that- you’re hot,”

 

“Oh, thanks?” He blinks.

 

Changbin smacks his shoulder softly and pushes him aside.

 

“You’re burning up, dumbass. Did you even take your meds this morning?” Changbin mutters as he leads his roommate to the sofa.

 

“I did and it’s not a big deal, I don’t feel sick at all,” He replies before coughing again.

 

Changbin stops rummaging through their Medicine Box to send Hyunjin a look that effectively shuts him up.

 

“Alright. Here’s what we’re gonna do, you’re going to nap here while I make some soup. Got it?” Changbin asks, more of a command than a question. Hyunjin nods weakly.

 

Changbin makes the feverish boy down some painkillers with water before cocooning him in a couple of blankets. Sure, the third-year college student made his blood boil most of the time, but Changbin cares for him. Hyunjin knows that much. He was the brother he never had.

 

“Love you, kid. Feel better soon,”

 

“Hnngh… love you too.” He yawns out.

 

Hyunjin feels unconsciousness tumble over him like waves.

 

 

 


	2. seogogi jeon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> breaking news: masterchef changbin makes a cameo.
> 
> chapter dedicated to snowyxiu.
> 
> \- thank you so much for your support!!

 

“ _Woah_ , I don’t think I brought this much stuff with me when I moved into my apartment with Jeongin,” Felix comments as he snoops through the opened boxes scattered around Changbin’s living room.

 

“Hey, cut it out. I think he’s around your age,” Changbin mumbles and places the ‘Roommates 101 Handbook’ Felix fished out back inside the box. They had been out earlier, searching for a gift for the latest addition to Changbin’s apartment when the boy sent him a text alerting him of his arrival.

 

The latter had immediately paid for the inexpensive chocolate rolls he _knows,_  tastes like heaven from his favorite bakery and dragged Felix along with him back to his apartment five blocks away.

 

Changbin was _finally_ getting a roommate. He isn’t as opposed to the idea now as he was when he first started college. The rent had costed him a limb and several part-time jobs at the local mall and even then, he was barely able to scrape enough money to feed himself. It was Felix that slapped him to his senses when the boy barged into his kitchen to find Changbin eating bread for dinner and not just any kind-

 

 _Wholegrain_.

 

Both of them knew Changbin wasn’t going to survive the year if he kept living off of wholegrain bread for every meal.

 

He has Felix to thank for that, he supposes.

 

Said boy hurls himself at the maroon sofa Changbin managed to get for 20 dollars from Goodwill, and scrolls through his phone.

 

“How much do you wanna bet he’s majoring in Childhood Education?” He asks distractedly.

 

“Fel-”

 

“Econs, actually.” Someone snorts from the hallway.

 

Almost comically, the two friends turn around to face the source of the unexpected sound. Unlike Changbin who turns crimson from being caught in what he feels is an unfortunate situation, Felix doesn’t seem fazed at all and sends the boy a grin. Making his way around the maze of boxes, he offers a hand out.

 

“Lee Felix, Seo Changbin’s only friend.” He introduces himself.

 

Changbin can’t help but roll his eyes before shoving his friend aside.

 

“Seo Changbin. You should be thankful you’re living with me instead of him,” He winks at his new roommate.

 

Hyunjin laughs for the first time since he set foot inside the house and shakes Felix’s hand with great fervor.

 

“Hwang Hyunjin, I-Uh pleasure meeting you both.” Changbin senses the exhaustion beneath his words, and clasps his hands together.

 

“Alright, that’s enough _Felix_ for today. I’ll see you tomorrow, go back home to your baby.” He says shrugging Felix’s parka on for him before pushing him towards the door.

 

“Baby?” Hyunjin’s eyebrows shoot up.

 

Felix snickers as he pries Changbin’s hand off of him to grab his beanie from the sofa.

 

“He’s talking about my roommate, He’s a baby stuck in the body of a 17-year-old. I’ll bring him over sometime.” 

 

“Sure, that sounds nice.” Hyunjin smiles.

 

The front door closes with a soft thud.

 

The silence that ensues feels rather stale, so Changbin does exactly what he thinks a good Samaritan would do and asks Hyunjin if he needs help unpacking.

 

He feels kind of bad for internally cheering when Hyunjin huffs a _don’t worry about it_ , though. In his defence, he _was_ pretty exhausted himself from running around town all day. Unless-

 

Bingo.

 

“I’m no cook clearly, but are you hungry? I’ve been told I can whip up a pretty decent chicken soup,” Changbin asks, already shuffling towards the kitchen.

 

“As long as you’re not trying to poison me, I’m down."

 

Changbin doesn’t stop smiling.

  

Needless to say, his chicken soup instantly became Hyunjin’s favorite dish.

 

* * *

 

Hyunjin wakes up a while later with a wet towel on his forehead. The absence of sunlight in the living room tells him he’s slept the entire day away. Hyunjin can vaguely make out soft muted laughter coming from the television in the background. He manages to peek his head out from the mountain of blankets covering him a tiny bit, before a sharp pain shoots up to his head. He hears shuffling from the other side of the room.

 

“Hyunjin? You up?” Changbin hovers over him, concern etched onto his face.

 

“Why do I have a wet burrito on my forehead?” He manages to croak out, voice hoarse.

 

This earns him the Legendary Changbin Eye Roll. When his roommate shows up again, he helps support Hyunjin’s back until he manages to sit upright. The throbbing doesn’t hurt as much as it did 5 minutes ago, so that’s _good_ , he thinks. 

 

Hyunjin downs the glass of water Changbin hands him in record time, feeling thirsty and mildly hungry.

 

“Thanks,” He grins. Hyunjin then, darts his eyes between the boy sitting cross-legged next to him and back to the ~~ethereal~~  bowl of chicken soup goodness placed on the coffee table in front of him.

 

“I’m not going to feed you if that’s what you’re implying,” Changbin yawns, hugging his brown teddy harder as he browses through the channels on TV.

 

‘Wasn’t asking you to,”

 

“Then quit it with the goo-goo eyes.” Changbin pouts and settles on a decent channel airing Puppies 101.

 

They watch the show in comfortable silence apart from the occasional burps coming from Hyunjin.

 

“Woah, who knew a fever could make you this gassy,” He mutters to himself more than anyone else, figuring Changbin had his full attention on the show. He wasn’t, it was on the grey notification bar on his phone.

 

(2) new messages from felix ☀

I think I’m in love.

with you

 

He smiles.

 

No, Hyunjin doesn’t have to know that.

  

-

  

Hyunjin is back on his feet days later, after three consecutive nights of fever-induced nightmares. He pads into the kitchen to see Felix eating Froot Loops alone.

 

“Oh, hey man! Changbin says you’ve been down with a nasty fever?” Felix shivers at the thought of being rendered dormant for two days. He needed to be on his feet,  _always_.

 

Hyunjin yanks his sneakers on and bites the inside of his cheek out of habit.

 

“Yes. Absolutely terrible, 0/10 would recommend.” He trails off when Changbin’s bedroom door slams shut with unnecessary force.

 

Surprised, Felix drops his spoon into the empty bowl with a loud clang.

 

“Damn. What’s got his knickers in a twist today?”

 

“I told him I have a dat- I’m meeting someone today. He told me I was going to infect the entire world with my germs,” Hyunjin shrugs halfheartedly.

 

Felix whistles.

 

“He’s so dramatic,”

 

Hyunjin doesn’t miss the way his cheeks flush.

 

“Tell me about it,” He remarks, then pauses.

 

“You should do it, you know?”

 

“Do what?” Felix echoes back, staring at Hyunjin.

 

“Tell him you like him.” He throws Felix a wink before leaving the house.

 

-

 

Hyunjin makes his way down the busy streets with a frown. How he’s survived this week without sticking to his _routine_ is a complete wonder, but he’s not about to start questioning the universe. Not when he has a dat- meeting, when he has a meeting with Jeongin.  _Get a grip Hyunjin,_ he chastises internally. 

 

He spots the familiar ‘Stray Kids Coffee’ signboard and lets out a long sigh. He’s got classes in two hours. He can do this.

 

“Welcome to Stray Kids Coffee!” The same voice from before singsongs but Hyunjin has it tuned out, all he can hear is the dull buzz of mindless chatter and all he focuses on is Jeongin’s back. He was sitting in the exact same spot they were in the other day.

 

Hyunjin hobbles closer, wondering if it was too late to turn around and sprint back to his apar-

 

“Hyunjin! Over here!” Jeongin’s voice breaks him out of his daze, the boy is waving at him shyly.

 

_Hm. Might as well._

 

“Jeonginnie, how are you?” Hyunjin ruffles his hair before plopping onto his chair.

 

“Hey, you stole my line!” The boy shakes his head in mock disappointment before continuing.

 

“I’m good I guess, I have the day off. And you? How are _you_ feeling Commander Hyunjin?” Jeongin questions the last line in a robotic voice. Hyunjin eyes the two bagels in front of him and wiggles his eyebrows.

 

“Great, Leftenant. Now that I’m here.” He replies with a grin. Jeongin darts his eyes away when he notices Hyunjin staring and laughs.

 

 _Typical Jeonginnie_ , always so shy.

 

Jeongin nudges the plate of bagels closer to Hyunjin and cocks his head to the side, the way a curious puppy would.

 

“My treat.” 

 

-

 

Jeongin nervously takes out his Spider-Man lunchbox out from his bag, eyes darting around the empty classroom. He never liked the cafeteria. It was too noisy for his liking and he figures if he starts spending recess in class instead, the bullies will stop stealing the food _mum_ prepares for him every day. He takes the lid off and the smell of his favorite, Seogogi Jeon, instantly overwhelms his nostrils.

 

Jeongin detaches the blue chopsticks attached to the lid but never quite manages to taste the pancakes as his lunchbox is suddenly snatched out of his hands.

 

“Little Jeongin thinks he’s so smart, eating alone in the classroom,”

 

“That’s very selfish of you!”

 

“Is that Seogogi Jeon? I want some!”

 

The taunting voices from before appear again.

 

Jeongin finds his bullies standing in front of him, already halfway through his lunch. He stands up shakily and puts his hands out.

 

“I want my lunch back. That’s _my_ lunchbox.”

 

The chatter stops and the leader of the group, Jeongin’s classmate Minho, steps forward.

 

“Listen you punk-”

 

“None of you are allowed to be here during recess! Now scram before I tell Miss Choi!” A voice booms from the hallway.

 

Visibly shaken by the threat, Minho drops the empty lunchbox to the ground and flees the classroom with his cronies.

 

Jeongin stays rooted to the ground, only lifting his head when a hand touches his shoulder. He sniffles, wiping the stray tear that escaped his eye.

 

“I had it under control,”

 

“I know you did Jeonginnie, I saw you,” The 3rd grader assures him and picks the red lunchbox up from the ground.

 

“Now c’mon, I brought Kimbap today. I know where we can go.” Hyunjin quips grabbing Jeongin’s hand and dragging him along the empty hallway up a flight of stairs.

 

MUSIC ROOM

Hyunjin holds the door open for Jeongin and shuts it softly once the boy is sitting by the window.

 

He notices Jeongin looking around with curious eyes. Hyunjin lets out a breathy laugh.

 

“Don’t worry. This is where I always have my lunch whenever Jisung gets too noisy,” Hyunjin mutters as he takes the metallic Magneto lid off his lunchbox. Jeongin nods, already feeling a smile tugging at his lips.

 

Hyunjin nudges the lunchbox in Jeongin’s direction and starts flipping through his X-Men comic.

 

Jeongin simply stares at him.

 

“But it’s your lunch,”

 

“I’m not hungry, you can have it Jeonginnie.” He says distantly, already immersed in the story. 

 

It takes Jeongin some time but he eats it after a while, humming gratefully as he digs into the Kimbap, completely oblivious to the grin Hyunjin has on his face.

 

-

 

“I’ve been sharing a house with this guy for two years now, I’m starting college next summer!” Jeongin exclaims excitedly, occasionally sipping on his honey lemon tea.

 

“A guy?” Hyunjin’s ears perk up at that.

 

“Yeah, a family friend. He’s really cool, like _you_. I think you’ll like him,” Jeongin mumbles into his mug of hot chocolate.

 

“Did you just call me cool?”

 

“Yeah definitely, he’s a bit loud but you’re way cooler than him so don't worry-” Jeongin pauses.

 

_Does Jeongin even realize what he's saying?_

“Ah, I really missed you Jeonginnie do you know that?” Hyunjin groans and buries his face in his hands, bagel momentarily forgotten. He missed Jeongin a lot.

 

The latter sighs and scrunches his face.

 

“I missed you too, but I’m here now and I-I promise you I’m not leaving again.”

 

"You have my word."  Jeongin adds.

 

Hyunjin drops his hands to the table slowly and reaches for Jeongin’s hand. Jeongin meets him halfway and relaxes into Hyunjin’s touch. His hands were softer than Hyunjin remembers. The touch floods memories of them arm-wrestling on the floor of Hyunjin’s bedroom back.

 

Hyunjin had been 6 then. Unsuspecting of the universe’s plan to break them apart.

 

He rubs circles on Jeongin’s hand soothingly.

 

“Jeongin, I-”

 

“Jeonginnie. Please? I like it when you call me that.” Jeongin whines, pouting for extra emphasis.

 

Hyunjin stifles a laugh and feels his ears turning red at the tips.

 

“Right, Jeonginnie. I’m not good with feelings. Never been, but I think I might like you?”

 

The silence isn’t stifling.

 

“I like you too,”

 

“No. I mean like, I like _like_ you. Am I making any sense here? I don’t think so, but definitely not in the platonic way like I used to _like_ you-”

 

Jeongin smiles so brightly that even the sunlight seeping in from the windows don't stand a chance.

 

“I know what you mean, and I think I like you too. Wait no, I _know_ I like you. Way too much.” Jeongin confirms, no longer laughing.

 

“I came back, once-”

 

“What?”

 

“Sometime after your graduation,” Jeongin laughs weakly.

 

“I managed to talk dad into driving me back home, made him pull over a few houses away though. You were loading the last few boxes into your car, and I figured I was a bit too late,”

 

Hyunjin slumps into his seat, still holding Jeongin's hand. 

 

“You were never too late Jeonginnie, I was always waiting for you, even then.”

 

-

 

“Mum, dad I’m leaving _now_!” Hyunjin cries out, fishing his car keys out from his pocket.

 

 _Routine._ This wasn’t part of his routine. His heart drops.

 

He was finally getting out of this town to attend college in the city two hours away. So, shouldn’t he be happy?

 

He _should_ , but the entire situation feels achingly similar to when Jeongin, _his_ Jeongin left.

 

Hyunjin stares at the vacant house across the street. Shortly after Jeongin and his father left, Jeongin’s mother moved out as well. She justified it to his family one day saying it was no use living in a house as big as that when you’re alone, but Hyunjin knows it was the memories that haunted her. It’s been empty since then.

 

The tire marks on the asphalt have faded over the years but they were still there if Hyunjin looked hard enough.

 

Hyunjin cranes his neck to look at the blue sky devoid of any clouds.

 

“Hyunjin Spacecraft to Earth, do you copy?” He shouts.

 

 

In the car a few rows away from Hyunjin's house, a stray tear makes its way down Jeongin's cheek. 

 

 

“Home to Hyunjin, copy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> baby jeongin standing up for himself?! big love. 
> 
> enough angst! fluffy hyunjin jeongin scenes coming right up! they deserve the world.

**Author's Note:**

> so, thoughts?


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